Under normal circumstances, safety is of the upmost importance in a workplace. But how do you make sure someone is staying safe when they are working from home? Here are a few ways you can work with your employees to keep them safe while they work remotely:

1. Ensure you set expectations and requirements. For example, require your employees to monitor electronic equipment to make sure they are free of hazards. This includes making sure that no wires are frayed, and that equipment is not set in any precarious locations. Your employee who is working from home should also make sure all cords are in a secured space and away from pathways inside his or her room/office.
2. Ask employees to stretch and avoid being sedentary. An employee sitting in one place for eight hours isn’t healthy for their body and that risk might be greater at home because there are no meetings to go to and no coworkers’ desks to walk to. It is important to encourage your remote employees to get up, move, stretch and to avoid staying in one place for too long. Send helpful tips on how to stretch at their home desk or stay active in close places.
3. Ensure you are monitoring your remote employees’ mental strain. Working from home in isolation can pose a risk to your employee’s mental health if they are not taken care of. Consider holding virtual happy hours or fun meetings for your staff to keep them socialized. If you offer an Employee Assistance Program, share those details with your staff.

Having remote employees is becoming much more common and is presenting new challenges. Sharing safety guides and expectations, along with health tips for working at home, are easy ways to keep your staff productive and engaged.